Measuring Student Learning: How We Develop Shared Accountability by Engaging Parents and Communities
Assessing student learning and engaging families and communities ensures shared accountability and supports student success.
Why Assess?
Educators assess to gather evidence and provide feedback on learning. We assess to explore if the required learning has occurred, and what the next steps will be. Collectively, we as educators, are responsible for improving learning outcomes. Learning outcomes provide a clear, shared understanding of what students are expected to know, do, or value, upon completing a course or program [i].
Educators use a variety of measurement tools ranging from classroom assessments such as assignments, quizzes, portfolios, journaling, reports, homework, and projects, to higher stakes assessments such as state/national and international tests. Educators develop and modify rubrics, create indicators and success criteria to assess learning, both formally and informally (Suurtamm & Arden, 2017). Increasingly, some educators are using technology such as ChatGPT to create assessments. (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) [ii].
During the school year, we inform students and their families about progress-to-date. The school year is almost half over. Educators use a variety of forms including notes home, informal feedback, progress and mid-term reports, and formal report cards. Douglas Reeves reminded us, “effective assessment is the foundation of effective accountability” (2005: 17).
Why Engage Students, Families, and Communities?
Our students, their families, and communities are increasingly diverse. Our learners come to school with differing lived experiences, cultures, languages, strengths, and abilities. Families want their children to succeed, to take advantage of the opportunities offered, and to pursue their desired pathway/s. We are continually forging common purpose by engaging communities in developing priorities and shared accountability, moving the learning agenda forward.
In Parental Educational Decision-Making (2020), Mandinach, Miskell and Gummer examine what parents want from data systems. Parents want performance data or information about the children’s progress as well as information about the school and district. They want information that is user-friendly, understandable, reliable and easy to access. This influences the trust parents placed in the system. Parents want assurance that the school/district have caring supportive staff who assist their children in succeeding.
Respectfully and responsively seeking out communities [iii], gathering their input and learning from their expertise is critical to forging a common learning agenda and shared accountability. Community engagement can be defined as “the process of working collaboratively with groups of people who are affiliated by geographical proximity, special interests, or similar situations with respect to issues affecting their well-being” (NIH, 2015: XV). Today we understand that communities include both those traditionally consulted, as well as those communities that have been underserved, and whose voices were not included at the table [iv]. Their perspectives, experiences, shared identities and understandings can forge a common purpose. Additionally, community engagement is grounded in principles of equity, empowerment and self-determination (Broden, 2022; Butterfoss, 2006; NIH, 2015: XV).
References
Broden, D. (2022). Cross-sector and Interprofessional collaborations: A powerful tool for the teaching profession? OECD #283.
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/cross-sector-and-interprofessional-collaborations_7144c6ac-en
Butterfoss, FD. (2006). Process evaluation for community participation. Annual Review of Public Health, 27: 323-340.
Mandinach, E., Miskell, R., Gummer, E. (2020). Parental Educational Decision-Making: The information they seek and what they want from data systems. Teacher College Record, V122. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:226680690
National Institute of Health (2015). The principles of community engagement, 2nd edition. Reeves, D. (2005). Accountability in Action. Englewood, CO: Advanced Learning Press.
Suurtamm, C., & Arden, A. (2017). Using assessment to enhance mathematics teaching and learning. In D. Spangler and J. Wanko (Eds.) Enhancing classroom practice with research behind Principles to Action (pp. 141 -152). Reston, VA: NCTM.
Endnotes
[i] Students, educators at all levels, families, and community members.
[ii] These include Indigenous communities; see the reference from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, immigrant and migrant communities, and other equity-deserving communities.
